Tough new crackdown on alcohol promotions in Thailand

[dagobert]

Honestly who gives a shit, as long as i can buy my 5 large LEO a day i dont care.

So i dident even bother reading the post. "Im 4 down one more and "good night"

Hate to break this to you - but you are an alcoholic and should seek help

Takes one to know one ey "GOON"

[sgtsabai]

First they came for....... Funny what happens when it finally comes around to bite you in the ass. All the do-gooder troglodytes that don't like alcohol, bars, ladies etc. can go slime back into the hole they slimed out of. Perhaps their day will come also.

[BigC]

This is madness. Making the legal age to 20 years old only pushes youngersters into illegal drugs like in America. Ok they only make 50 billion baht in tax per year but how much tax from bars, restaurants, t shirt logos plus all other accessories. Hope this is not a start to power going too far.

I am all for promoting safe drinking and police stopping drink driving and finning people heavily that violate the law but all I see is a push of business away from people

Thai people forang people and tourists

I don't drink but I do see a big demand for it

Yes punish drunk and disorderly people

Warn people about dangers

Breatherlize people

But banning it after 1200 midnight

Means people shall drink in the street rather than the safety of a bar

" no promoting through word of mouth"

What so I cannot offer someone a drink now????

Edited August 27, 2014 by BigC

[Tatsujin]

Is this yet another stupid new "law" that they haven't thought through and will quietly let slide next week after the outcry?

Or is it a joke? It's got to be a joke, right?

[Pistol101]

what a load of bullshit..

this wont change a damn thing..

all this is doing is sending a message to publicans etc that they best prepare to hand out more tea money

when the authorities come knocking..

nothing more than attempt to line their coffers...

only a spastic rat with a hair lip could offer up such a non-solution to the alcohol problem...

<deleted> retards...

[luk AJ]

The following cursing in public is from now onwards forbidden: " you stupid Heineken" " you ugly Leo" " sun of a Sing sipping drunk" by posting this I risk a lot, please don't jail me Mister Chang Ocha....

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Tatsujin]

I find it curious that apart from some insignificant Chiang Mai rag, this report that evokes so much emotion is only being carried by ThaiVisa. The normally reliable Bangkok Post has not touched it neither has ThaiVisa's mate, The Nation from where they usually lift their news items

Could this be nothing more than a cynical marketing ploy and alcoholic scaremongering by the owners of this forum, who clearly know the mentality of many of it's members, to enhance their advertising revenue by virtue of more hits to their website?

"George" is probably watching this thread in delight at the number of banal (but potentially lucrative), misunderstood comments that are being made.

I don't suppose my post will be allowed to remain here for very long!

Now you're getting it ... it's far more profitable to post "rumors" rather than "facts" ... page hits go through the roof (and consequently advertising revenue) when there's some controversy, true or not.

Just look at the pages of replies you see on the "I thought my gf/wife loved me, but she's only after my money" threads ...

[dagobert]

Honestly who gives a shit, as long as i can buy my 5 large LEO a day i dont care.

So i dident even bother reading the post. "Im 4 down one more and "good night"

Hate to break this to you - but you are an alcoholic and should seek help

I'll help him. I'll be over with a bottle opener tonight!

Yeah sorry i lied last ;)night after my 3rd long neck i went to a Rock Bar in Sanur

and droped another 2 long necks "Guess i must be an al co ho lic" ???

[boomerangutang]

wow, over 400 responses in 20 hours. It's clear what Thaivisaites' priorities are.

[Benmart]

And again for all you troglodyte do-gooders, slime back in that christian bible thumping hole you slimed out of.

Now, don't hold back. It's good to air those resentments so others can see the ugliness they contain.

In the past, I also thought and shared similar views with anyone that was unfortunate enough to be within ear-shot. I eventually stopped seeing the wrong in others and looked inwardly after I admitted to myself that I wasn't the center of the universe and wasn't perfect.

I'm still a work in progress.

[dagobert]

wow, over 400 responses in 20 hours. It's clear what Thaivisaites' priorities are.

"YEP" you go it crazy monkey:D;)

[cyborgx]

"Promoting alcohol through word of mouth is also illegal, so if a waiter is asked to recommend a particular brand of beer he would be breaking the law if he responds"

I have never been to a French restaurant or in fact any reputable fine dining establishment in Bangkok without relying on the knowledge of wines drawn from a Sommelier when I am at a loss for an eloquent marriage of food and wine. Their ability to match fine wine with a superb meal is ‘strategically on a par with that of the chef de cuisine's ability to bring a certain magic to the table through the food itself.

​For one NOT to have a sommelier at a fine dining establishment should be illegal!

Lets hope the Junta rethink this specific ban.

Sorry don't have the time of day for Sommelier..... I saw a documentary recently that got a group of "supposed" wine experts together and tested them. They dyed the red white and the white red. The poor fools couldn't even identify the simplest of wines..... It's mostly a matter of personal tasted like art, and Sommelier are little more than jumped up salesmen.

OK, yes I agree that advice on what is available in a restaurant is useful, and a basic agreed vocabulary helps, but it seems to me that EVERY Sommelier that I have ever seen or talked to, acts like a bad art critic, using flowery language that has little or no relationship to the subject they are talking about......

Sorry, I should have said IMHO, but not feeling that humble

As far as this new crackdown is concerned, it sounds ridiculous! No old bottles, no posters, no logos on glasses, no "pretties", and no promotional events, not even verbal promotion?! Sounds like the already poor beleagured landlords are gonna have to totally redecorate, replace half their glassware, replace glass fridge doors and all extravagant draught taps ( (promotional obviously).

Thankfully I believe that these will never be properly enforced and will fall by the wayside along with a lot of other similar Monday morning "relevations".

Edited August 27, 2014 by cyborgx

[fforest1]

Applaud the new regime!

Support "reforms"!

Crackdown on corrupt police!

Clean all these umbrellas obstructing the views on my beach!

Crackdown on these noddles' stalls who occupy my public parking!

Catch all the mafia taxi drivers and send them to prison!

Also imprison all politicians (the PT) and ban the red color for good!

Throw away all the corrupt government officials!

Ban all street vendors who disturb my walkways! Send them somewhere else! Anywhere! I don't care!!!

Catch all the farmers encroaching on national parks! They have no right to be there! I live in a condo so I don't care!

Tax the rich! All of them! Let them pay for what they did!

Charge all the Thais who commit traffic crimes, and drive recklessly!

Rule of law! Rule of law!!!

... But don't touch beer and bars, please (and let me do visa runs).

Farangs are funny

This is too funny

[SteveFong]

It starts with the ban at midnight, and as they get more control, and weed thru the mafias it will drop to 10PM

This will have the effect of dropping the late night traffic as well,

Once that has set in, and the people are now on a "soft curfew", it will be dropped to store bans at 8pm, and bars must close by 9PM

Thailand needs productivity, not drunkards in Mercedes plowing into vendors, or bus drivers killing all in their view

Soft crackdowns are the future

From what I observe the only places that have the time restrictions on sales of alcohol are the big chain stores. That law seems very selective and hardly enforced. Where do you think a bus driver gets a drink? Nana? 7/11?

the death penalty is coming, for bus drivers and taxi drivers, who kill while drunk

it truly is, different, this time,

there is no more tolerance

watch the jails. become chain gangs, cleaning the streets

[boomerangutang]

About time, alcohol causes more deaths than illegal drugs and legal drugs like cigarettes which have warnings already.

And pharma drugs cause more harm and deaths than all illegal drugs combined. Whether alcohol is generally more harmful than Big Pharma is debatable. Care to venture a guess?

Let people kill themselves. Trouble is, when they kill others (drunk drivers) or take up hospital beds and run everyone's insurance rates up sky high. There are other problems caused by drinkers (wife beatings, picking fights in public, etc) but I believe all drugs should be legal for adults. It would create more employment for cops, hospitals, undertakers, and social workers. ...and helps weed out weaker-willed people from the gene pool. Side note: What are alcoholic Chaleum and his sons going to do if they can't drink (and pick fights) past midnight?

[cyborgx]

what about Thai beer sponsoring UK football, Chang is Everton anywhere else?

That's not advertising, that's just labelling Elephants....

[cyborgx]

what about Thai beer sponsoring UK football, Chang is Everton anywhere else?

They just morph it out

Bye bye live soccer

I pity the guy with the bottle of Tipex

[cyborgx]

A dry Thailand only affect falang. Thai people are Buddhist and drinking is against believes anyway. This is a Buddhist country.

Right, sure, I've NEVER seen a drunk Thai.....

[chris hayes]

so in the bar the girls cannot say ' one more' as this would be classed as promoting !!!

[cyborgx]

So that's Alcohol, Drugs , Visa's , overstayers and street vendors so far. Whats next ? a crackdown on the Obese and hard of hearing ?

Probably the homeless, they've had it too easy far too long (no cleaning, no rent, no utiliities bills etc.).....

[SteveFong]

A dry Thailand only affect falang. Thai people are Buddhist and drinking is against believes anyway. This is a Buddhist country.

Right, sure, I've NEVER seen a drunk Thai.....

these are the same people who dont know their sisters are prostitutes,

dont shame them with facts as they will lose face

[Eliot Rosewater]

so in the bar the girls cannot say ' one more' as this would be classed as promoting !!!

Just video them asking and then blackmail them for a free one:lol:

[Gandtee]

At first I was shocked and couldn't believe it. Then I calmed myself down and re-read the text on the website. It actually doesn't look that bad. It is basically just removing alcohol advertising.

This will not really effect the common person. You will see less advertisements for alcohol. You will not see the beer girls or staff wearing beer tshirts. You will not see Singha logos on team uniforms. Really, that's about it. There will still be happy hours, you just won't see signs advertising happy hours. You can still wear your Chang tank top (unless you work at a bar/restaurant). You can still buy alcohol at nearly everywhere that you used to (except for those sidwalk bars that spring up at 1am). The only thing that looks worrisome, is no alcohol consumption after midnight at bars or restaurants.

I'm not even worried about drinking after mid-night. My suppositories turn into coal scuttles at 10pm!

[jumus]

About time, alcohol causes more deaths than illegal drugs and legal drugs like cigarettes which have warnings already.

Praise the lord speaking of him, was not his first miracle turning water into wine, now there was a man you could have followed!

So the bible has to be edited for use in thailand

Now there's an idea, ban that book! I would be onboard with that...

[Gandtee]

At first I was shocked and couldn't believe it. Then I calmed myself down and re-read the text on the website. It actually doesn't look that bad. It is basically just removing alcohol advertising.

This will not really effect the common person. You will see less advertisements for alcohol. You will not see the beer girls or staff wearing beer tshirts. You will not see Singha logos on team uniforms. Really, that's about it. There will still be happy hours, you just won't see signs advertising happy hours. You can still wear your Chang tank top (unless you work at a bar/restaurant). You can still buy alcohol at nearly everywhere that you used to (except for those sidwalk bars that spring up at 1am). The only thing that looks worrisome, is no alcohol consumption after midnight at bars or restaurants.

I'm not even worried about drinking after mid-night. My suppositories turn into coal scuttles at 10pm!

[tomacht8]

What a shame.

On the one hand they want to fight corruption,

on the other hand they now open a new great door for it.
Prohibition helps predominantly only the criminals.

To try to solve the alcoholism problem only with prohibitions, penalties and criminalization, will fail 100%

Behavioral changes are only sustainable through understanding and insight.

[Thai at Heart]

I don't know why we Farangs keep thinking that we matter in Thailand. We don't. Just like a guest in your home would have to abide by any changes in your rules. Everything that makes Thailand exotic revolves around what reforms are suppose to address... CORRUPTION. Sooner or later, and it seems sooner, the foundation of our playhouse, will be ripped from beneath us and without a foundation what house can stand? We are guests. The new power doesn't car about Farang businesses especially bars. Just like "quality tourists" the junta will be looking to deter businesses that promote or associated with prostitution, drugs, drinking and smoking and encourage quality businesses that are more family orientated. They will experiment with a smaller city and let it be the "test model" the implementation to the Hotspots. So Drink up, smoke up but don't <deleted> up.

I agree with you that all people from outside Thailand must realize that this isn't "home". In regard to business, the "Disney" idea that you talk about is a possibility that has much more potential than the adult side that is currently offered. However, changing bar times and reducing the availability of such things doesn't make much sense. Why not just change locations of certain aspects of society? In other words, knock down Nana... rebuild it into a hotel mecca... throw in a theme park... add fun bars for mainstream tourists. Near the airport... create a new area of sin. Let all the old bars relocate... maybe not that far... how about BangNa?

If you want to pipe dream then how about this: The junta will legalize prostitution as they did in Singapore with entertainment venues but no sex shows. Remember what Alliances the military represents. What is driving moral change is Buddhism and the keepers of Buddhism. If it is a "Sin" in the moral eyes of Buddhism then it will not be "promoted" nor tolerated in The New Thailand The Gem Of Asean.

Well sometimes I find it a little hard to reconcile Buddhism with Soddom and Gamorrah.

These rules are unenforceable. If they made very draconian punishments for drink driving on the books and made it a serious punishment to serve drunks, that would probably be a more logical solution.

All of this stuff is hot air because they have no legal stick to bash anyone with because there is no law enforcement.

[Thai at Heart]

I don't know why we Farangs keep thinking that we matter in Thailand. We don't. Just like a guest in your home would have to abide by any changes in your rules. Everything that makes Thailand exotic revolves around what reforms are suppose to address... CORRUPTION. Sooner or later, and it seems sooner, the foundation of our playhouse, will be ripped from beneath us and without a foundation what house can stand? We are guests. The new power doesn't car about Farang businesses especially bars. Just like "quality tourists" the junta will be looking to deter businesses that promote or associated with prostitution, drugs, drinking and smoking and encourage quality businesses that are more family orientated. They will experiment with a smaller city and let it be the "test model" the implementation to the Hotspots. So Drink up, smoke up but don't <deleted> up.

I agree with you that all people from outside Thailand must realize that this isn't "home". In regard to business, the "Disney" idea that you talk about is a possibility that has much more potential than the adult side that is currently offered. However, changing bar times and reducing the availability of such things doesn't make much sense. Why not just change locations of certain aspects of society? In other words, knock down Nana... rebuild it into a hotel mecca... throw in a theme park... add fun bars for mainstream tourists. Near the airport... create a new area of sin. Let all the old bars relocate... maybe not that far... how about BangNa?

If you want to pipe dream then how about this: The junta will legalize prostitution as they did in Singapore with entertainment venues but no sex shows. Remember what Alliances the military represents. What is driving moral change is Buddhism and the keepers of Buddhism. If it is a "Sin" in the moral eyes of Buddhism then it will not be "promoted" nor tolerated in The New Thailand The Gem Of Asean.

Well sometimes I find it a little hard to reconcile Buddhism with Soddom and Gamorrah.

These rules are unenforceable. If they made very draconian punishments for drink driving on the books and made it a serious punishment to serve drunks, that would probably be a more logical solution.

All of this stuff is hot air because they have no legal stick to bash anyone with because there is no law enforcement. Where is Red Bull kid, piece of c**p that he is.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Thai at Heart

[orosee]

"Promoting alcohol through word of mouth is also illegal, so if a waiter is asked to recommend a particular brand of beer he would be breaking the law if he responds"

I have never been to a French restaurant or in fact any reputable fine dining establishment in Bangkok without relying on the knowledge of wines drawn from a Sommelier when I am at a loss for an eloquent marriage of food and wine. Their ability to match fine wine with a superb meal is ‘strategically on a par with that of the chef de cuisine's ability to bring a certain magic to the table through the food itself.

​For one NOT to have a sommelier at a fine dining establishment should be illegal!

Lets hope the Junta rethink this specific ban.

Sorry don't have the time of day for Sommelier..... I saw a documentary recently that got a group of "supposed" wine experts together and tested them. They dyed the red white and the white red. The poor fools couldn't even identify the simplest of wines..... It's mostly a matter of personal tasted like art, and Sommelier are little more than jumped up salesmen.

OK, yes I agree that advice on what is available in a restaurant is useful, and a basic agreed vocabulary helps, but it seems to me that EVERY Sommelier that I have ever seen or talked to, acts like a bad art critic, using flowery language that has little or no relationship to the subject they are talking about......

Sorry, I should have said IMHO, but not feeling that humble

As far as this new crackdown is concerned, it sounds ridiculous! No old bottles, no posters, no logos on glasses, no "pretties", and no promotional events, not even verbal promotion?! Sounds like the already poor beleagured landlords are gonna have to totally redecorate, replace half their glassware, replace glass fridge doors and all extravagant draught taps ( (promotional obviously).

Thankfully I believe that these will never be properly enforced and will fall by the wayside along with a lot of other similar Monday morning "relevations".

Wow, whatever they used to "dye red wine white", release it as a laundry detergent and make billions off it! I've been looking for such a thing forever!

Seriously, they may have filtered out the red particles but with that, they would have changed the wine's properties as well. Why not just conduct a blindfolded study and tell the test subjects "now you're drinking a red one, now it's white"?

My personal way to select a proper wine for dinner is simple: Find the cheapest wine on the list (not glass, bottle). Now find the wine that's 2 steps up pricewise. If I don't like the country of origin, check again one up or one down. I'm going to have to drink 2/3 of the bottle anyway (women!), so at worst the first 2 glasses will be awful, the rest of the bottle will taste great.

[catweazle]

Wonder when they gonna ban fun as a whole? This country is turning into a hyper-conservative, puritan, boring copy of a typical muslim country under Sharia law, but with a buddhist touch... Never felt as uneasy and tense here than over the past year. It looked great first when Suthep was stopped in his tracks, farmers got payed, mafia-alike structures were dismantled, etc. but then priorities changed to first attack the foreign tourism, foreign investment and expat sector, then a beach cleanup pushing thousands of Thai vendors into oblivion without options and now it seems like fun in general is next, instead of tackling the biggest problem that could bring Thailand to its knees which is the unrest and bombings in the deep south. I thought Thailand was under military leadership? Why is nothing done to eliminate the radical subjects in Yala, Narathiwat, etc.? Priorities in Thailand by now are so out of tune that it hurts in the ears of anyone who still can think straight. Getting really angry, need to stop... sorry

Edited August 27, 2014 by catweazle